Today it is widely accepted that the Earth orbits the Sun and not the other way around. But before Copernicus proposed this idea in 1543, people did not understand the structure of the solar system. They assumed that Earth was at the center of everything. Similarly, before Darwin published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, most people assumed that each species appeared on Earth spontaneously and was unrelated to other living things. Today, thanks to Darwin, it is generally accepted that all living things are related. They share, in Darwin's terms, a common ancestor. We now know that they also share a common genetic blueprint. So when Darwin observed nature, what did he see that led him to his revolutionary perspective? How did he develop his theory of evolution by natural selection?

Activity 1: Darwin's Great Voyage of DiscoveryFollow in Darwin's footsteps as he sails to distant lands, encounters exotic creatures, and develops his theory of natural selection.

Activity 2: Evolution's Role in HistoryFind out how scientific ideas paved the way for Darwin's theory of natural selection and how his theory changed the course of not just science, but also the world.